Hello Reddit,
My wife was in a car accident, and we unfortunately found out our car insurance had lapsed. We’re now dealing with the financial consequences and are confused about some of the claims we’re receiving.
The situation is as follows:
* A company contacted us for the damages to the other vehicle, claiming $23,000. I accepted responsibility for not having insurance and entered into a promissory agreement to pay this amount at $200 a month.
* Now, a different law firm is contacting us for the medical bills of the other driver, claiming we owe $4,200.
* When I spoke with the law firm, I mentioned I was already paying $23,000 for the car damages. The person on the phone said, “Oh, that’s weird, they got paid from insurance for that.” They wouldn’t elaborate on this or provide any documents to back up their claim. They also refused to send me documents related to whatever he saw that caused him to say that.
My questions are:
* Should I continue making payments on the promissory agreement for the car damages, especially after the confusing statement from the law firm representative?
* Is it possible the $23,000 for the car damages has already been paid by the other driver’s insurance, and the company is now trying to double-dip? If so, what can I do about the promissory agreement I signed?
* What are the next steps I should take?
Thank you for any help or advice you can offer. I appreciate your time.
Location: Polk county Florida
Comments
The property damages and injuries are separate matters.
Their insurance paid for the car so now the insurance is pursuing you to get that money back. It sounds like the is the personal attorney of the injured person, so they are injured and have an attorney who is pursuing you to pay for their medical bills and probably ‘pain and suffering.’
They probably don’t have uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage or their insurance would pay that and then also pursue you for that. Since you are in FL, their PIP coverage should be paying the medical bills but since you were uninsured, you can be pursued for recovery of that. If you were insured, they couldn’t get that part back.
No matter who pays it first, it all comes back to you, since you were at fault.
It is likely their insurance company paid them, now their insurance is coming after you for the balance I.e. Promissory Note.
The other party’s insurance will try to collect the damages they paid from the at fault party or their insurance. That may be the promissory note that you are paying.